Thursday update: The State of emergency continues; Habitat for Humanity and other groups mobilize and give aid

ONEIDA>> According to Acting Mayor Max Smith, clean up and rebuilding is in full swing in the evacuation area in the flats.

"The area is pretty much open," Smith said. Check points are inactive at this point until curfew, and he said that that is being pushed back until 10 p.m. and will only apply to non-residents.

"At this point, we are more worried about finding out what type of assistance people need," Smith said. "Reenacting the state of emergency allows us to flex some rules, open up what we can do and how we can do it to help people get back into their homes."

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Smith said that the curfew will keep people out of the area after 10 p.m. with beefed up police security. Residents and homeowners in the flats will be allowed into the area with little to no restrictions. The wristband system from Monday has long since been disestablished, and residents can move freely.

Smith said that currently, he and other Oneida officials are mobilizing Habitat for Humanity and other volunteer groups on the scene in order to speed up the cleanup operations.

"At this point in time, our purpose is to help residents get their lives back on track in the area," Smith said.

-Habitat for Humanity was working diligently with the city, to determine which homeowners needed help cleaning out their properties.

Shannon Emmons was working with Habitat on July 4 to help clear out Donna Rong's home on Stephen Street. Rong has lived in the house since she was a girl, and inherited the property which she shares with her son, after her mother passed away. Today was the first time she could get assistance clearing out the property.

"I'm doing this because it is the right thing to do," Emmons said.

The crew Emmons was on, which consisted of six workers, had four other houses on their agenda for the day, but she said "I don't think we will get through all of them today."

She explained that homeowners and residents with disabilities, the elderly and those without immediate family in the area are the first that will be helped.

"People who can't do this work themselves or don't have a lot of family to help are priorities," Emmons said.

Emmons explained that the cleanup is a lengthy process that could take anywhere from four to six hours per home. In order for the home to be cleaned and livable, the crew has to help clear all items from the flooded area of the home, remove any carpets or rugs that came into contact with the water, and remove all sheet rock and walling that came in contact with the water.

Habitat does aid people with repairs as well, but Emmons said, "There is a long process and a lot of paperwork to try and get a crew back into a home. Because of everything going on, and the number of homes that need work, it is a bit beyond our scope at this time."

Habitat along with other volunteer groups will be helping throughout the weekend.

-Acting Mayor Max Smith extended the state of emergency for Oneida, effective July 3 at 6 p.m. With the reinstatement comes a 10 p.m. curfew as well as the restrictions in the affected area, which are still the areas between the corner of Madison and Lake streets, the intersection of Linden and Cedar streets, Lenox Avenue and Cedar Street, MacArthur Parkway and Lexington Avenue, to the intersection of East Walnut Street and Wilbur Street and along the Madison/Oneida county line from Sconondoa Street to Prospect Street. Vehicles or unapproved foot traffic in that area is prohibited. Homeowners and residents are allowed in the area freely to clean-up, retrieve belongings and stay in their homes if they have been fully restored.

-On July 3, acting Mayor Max Smith signed a resolution that will allow electric inspectors who are not approved by common council to survey properties in the flood affected area as long as they are approved by National Grid. This resolution will allow homes to be up and running faster, providing more inspections and allowing people to return power to their homes earlier.

-A boil water notice has been issued for all houses on Linden, Mott and Stoddard streets, and all houses north of Lenox Ave. on Stephen Street and Lexington Avenue. This notice is in effect until July 8, or until it is rescinded. As a precaution, all homes in the evacuated area should boil water as well.